Can you drive your own car through the Grand Canyon?
Though you can't actually drive through the Grand Canyon as each part of the structure has to be conserved, you can drive to and around the region, as well as to the entrances to the North and South Rims.
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There are no rules against visiting the Grand Canyon without a tour service. There also aren't any significant barriers to doing so. So, yes, you absolutely can tour the Grand Canyon independently! To learn specifically how to do this by driving, check out our post on how to tour the Grand Canyon by car.
The average distance across the canyon is only 10 miles, however, the drive between the park's South Rim Village and the North Rim Village is about 212 miles and takes about 4 1/2 hours to drive. It takes time, planning, and effort to visit both rims in one trip.
With just one day at the Grand Canyon South Rim, you can see several viewpoints and even hike into the canyon. Unless you want a super relaxed Grand Canyon vacation on the rim or an adventurous rafting trip down below, one to three days at the Grand Canyon is usually enough time for the highlights.
Grand Canyon day trip – which Rim to visitIt's about 277 miles (446 km) long and up to 18 miles (29 km) wide. Needless to say, you won't be able to experience all of it in a day, not even in a week or two… But you can certainly see some amazing places, even if you are just visiting Grand Canyon as a day trip.
The best times to visit the Grand Canyon are March through May and September through November, when daytime temperatures are cool and crowds are thin. If you decide to visit during the summer (the park's peak season), be prepared for hordes of tourists and very limited lodging availability.
You don't need to take a tour. When you enter the park you get a park newspaper with all the ncessary information. There's also a tourist center, and there are rangers along the rim who'll provide information and answer questions. Grand Canyon National Park South Rim is a “Do it Yourself” place for visitors.
For the most part, driving in Grand Canyon National Park is relatively easy—so easy that it can lead to a false sense of security. The park's semiarid climate and high elevations mean that both desert and mountain driving conditions apply.
The best way to tour the village is to park your vehicle once, then ride the Village (Blue) Route Shuttle around the South Rim. It connects the Visitor Center, lodges, campgrounds, Backcountry Information Center, and Market Plaza (Market, deli, outdoor ATM, and U.S. Post Office).
Both the South Rim and the North Rim offer rim trail hikes that have spectacular views of the inner canyon, some on paved trails. Or you can choose to day hike into the canyon. Permits are not required for non-commercial day hikes.
View Grand Canyon SafelyIn areas where there is a railing or fence, do not climb over the barrier. Keep an eye on all of the people in your group, especially small children. Make sure that your travel companions have both feet firmly planted on pavement or developed trails at all times. Know where the edge is.
How many days should you spend in the Grand Canyon? If you're visiting the South Rim, you'll want 2-3 days.For the North Rim, plan on visiting for 1-2 days.If you want to see both rims, give yourself 4-5 days!
July and August are the worst months to visit the Grand Canyon due to larger crowds and hotter, wetter weather. You can get cheaper deals on lodging and activities between November and February.
Prefer coming mid-week or at the beginning of the week: not surprisingly, weekends are the busiest at the Grand Canyon. Mondays and Tuesdays tend to be the least busy days, followed by Wednesdays.
The town of Tusayan, which is just 15-20 minutes away from the main Visitor Center on the south rim, has a great selection of places to stay. Grand Canyon Junction (formerly known as Valle) is further out (about 30 minutes to the rim), but is another good option. If you want a hotel, stay in Tusayan, which has plenty.
Prefer coming mid-week or at the beginning of the week: not surprisingly, weekends are the busiest at the Grand Canyon. Mondays and Tuesdays tend to be the least busy days, followed by Wednesdays.
Short answer: In general, it's a nicer experience to stay inside the park in Grand Canyon. Long answer: Staying inside the Grand Canyon National Park is a one-of-a-kind experience but it's not for everyone, and it may just not be possible for you at all.